Lake Gogebic Man Trip 2007

Man’s Trip Sept. 27-30, 2007. My son Jack invited me and his new father-in-law Bob on a fishing trip to Lake Gogebic, Michigan. Since it is about an 8 hour trip up and back from Indiana, Thursday and Sunday were travel days. Friday and Saturday were for fishing, if lake conditions permitted.

I was armed with a newly purchased tackle box and Bass Pro Shop 6ft, 6 inch Micro-Lite rod combined with a “Pflueger 1806” spin casting reel. The McKays had helped me purchase this rod and populate the tackle box 2 weeks earlier, so I was ready and rarin’ to go!

Bob drove, with Jack in the back, and me riding shotgun. Herb had come up the day before and was already catching fish!

We finally arrived around 7pm, just in time for dinner in the Lodge’s dining hall. We met all Jack's and Herb’s friends, and had a pleasant evening.

We went to bed early, eagerly anticipating the fishing day.

Saturday at last. Cold already. About 45 degrees. Jack rigged up all the rods. The plan is to drift fish, so the rig is tricky. Main line drops to bottom. Another line in the middle, with a live worm. The drift of the boat moves the bait along. Our job is to watch the tip of our rods for a twitch.

Herb has been coming to Lake Gogebic for 30 years or so. Jack has been coming along for 10-12 years. It was a real honor to be invited on this fall "Man" trip. Herb is the consumate angler. He is attentive, always aware of the water and what it is telling him. He was considerate of us "newbies", and was always there to help. I learned a lot just by watching him. He was "at one" with the lake.

Herb’s boat is a tri-hull, and is a perfect fishing boat. We drew cards to select our positions in the boat. Four guys, six rods. Two rods are shared by the guys at the ends of the boat. When a shared rod gets a bite, then the next guy gets the next bite.

Breakfast over, we head out on the lake! First spot, little action, but Herb gets the fist fish of the day, and delivers the first-fish kiss!

Second spot on the lake. My rod jiggles. I ask Jack (sitting next to me) – was that a hit? He said wait, maybe, hold on..YES..hold on, YANK it to set the hook!

Excitement is on – rod is bending, I’m pulling too hard – Jack says drop the tip of the rod lower, the fish is running – he reaches over and cranks up the drag. I keep reeling in, guys are moving, Jack takes the net from somewhere, misses the first time, gets the fish next time! It’s big! Walleye – 21” – a keeper! Herb ("the surgeon") deftly removes the hook, and puts it on the stringer.

Everyone’s yelling and excited! What a feeling!

We settle down, and set our rods. Bob gets a hit! Now Jack is netting Bob’s catch. I get a video of the catch! It’s a 13” perch, and also a keeper! Jack is yelling something like the “the father-in-law's are off their shney" which must be "yooper" for Bob and I catching our first keepers and are now official Lake Gogebic fishermen.

We hit a dry spell, so we head back for lunch and a nap. Since Bob and I are the newbies, Bob prepares the lunch (pork and chicken BBQ) and I have clean-up duties.
Down for a nap, and I post pictures for the wives at home to see.

In the afternoon, we venture out again, and catch some smaller walleye and perch. Herb catches a keeper perch and I help with the net. At one point, I have a catch on my rod, and my shared rod! Bob gets a Monster hit, but it breaks off – we didn’t even see it, but it was large!

We closed the day, and headed for another dinner at the Lodge.

Saturday looks good early, but when we start to head out, the waves are very choppy, too choppy for fishing. We spent a great day in the lodge watching College football games and laughing a lot.

Bob and I went for a ride around the lake, and had a mission to buy some candles for Jack’s wife. We found them in a crusty ol’ bar, and we were looked at askance, to say the least, by folks at the bar!

We escaped with our lives intact, but not our dignity!

We sadly let on Sunday for the 8 hour trip back to reality, but bringing back great memories!